Other Names

Striated Craylet

Striated Squat Lobster

General Description

Front leg with claw (cheliped) is longer than the body. Triangular point between the eyes (rostrum) with 3 or 4 pointed spikes (teeth) along each side. Body pink-red or brown with rough ridges across the carapace. Eyes red. Up to 2 cm long (carapace).

Biology

Australian Squat Lobsters are active animals that shelter in crevices in rough sediments. They can swim away from the bottom, and in New Zealand related species do so in such huge numbers that they form a "red tide".